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After weeks of seeing declining prices at gas pumps nationwide, AAA is reporting that on average, they’ve risen more than a nickel in advance of the holiday, which will see more travelers than ever.
Nationally, motorists are paying an average of $2.73 per gallon as of Tuesday, July 2; an increase of six cents from a week ago, though it’s down nearly nine cents from a month ago. Last year, the national average sat at $2.86.
“For the more than 41 million motorists hitting the road this week to celebrate the Independence Day holiday, they will find gas prices cheaper than Memorial Day weekend, but more expensive than they’ve been paying the last few weeks,” AAA spokesperson Jeanette Casselano said.
“It’s typical to see increases at the pump ahead of the holiday, but we may see prices continue to jump throughout the month due to refinery interruptions on the East Coast, increasing demand and fluctuations in crude oil price.”
In New York, motorists are paying an average of $2.88, up four cents from a week ago. In Connecticut, drivers are seeing an average of $2.86, a three-cent rise from last week.
According to AAA, nearly 49 million Americans are “making plans to honor the red, white and blue with an Independence Day getaway this year,” the most since the organization began tracking holiday travel in 2000.
That number marks a 4.1 percent rise over last year, including 1.9 million more drivers than in 2018. In total, an estimated 41.4 million Americans are expected to flood roadways nationwide.
“As Independence Day approaches, it’s time for the much-loved family road trip and this year will be one for the record books, with more Americans than ever planning vacations,” Paula Twidale, vice president of AAA Travel stated. “This holiday builds on the strong travel demand seen for Memorial Day, and with schools now out of session across the country, families coast to coast are eager to travel.”
The influx of drivers is expected to cause hectic travel schedules for those looking to get out of town. In the tri-state area, the worst time to travel will be between 1:45 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. on Wednesday, July 3, when delays are expected to be almost four times as long as normal.
“With record-level travelers hitting the road this holiday, drivers must be prepared for delays around our major metros,” Trevor Reed, transportation analyst at INRIX, noted. “Although travel times are expected to nominally increase throughout the week, hands down, Wednesday afternoon will be the worst time to be on the road.”
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